What is your favourite thing about this fair British isle? Well, undoubtedly, the one thing that is not on your list of positives is the weather. It's almost a knee-jerk reaction for any British person to talk about the weather, as it provides a very handy stopgap if you've got nothing in common with someone but you need to force conversation. But the fact of the matter is that we never have good weather. We can spend most of our time dreaming about a couple of weeks in the sunshine, and this seems to be enough to rejuvenate us before we go back to reality. But what about most of us that don't have the opportunity to go to sunnier climates, or we are those people who, as soon as there's a sliver of sun shining through the cloud, we raced to get the barbecue out? Is there any way we can cope with this terrible British weather?
Get Outside Despite The Weather This can be quite difficult to get right. After all, you don't want to step out the front door and be greeted by an onslaught of rain. But what we can do instead, is turn our home into something a bit more conducive to outdoor activities. There are numerous patio designs that we can use to our advantage. Most people have a garden shed, which provides some sort of respite from your home life, but for all of its benefits, it doesn't let the sun in! And, especially as the British summer is upon us, we need to take advantage of those lovely temperatures, but without getting soaked through! Ramp Up The Comfort Components Of Your Home The benefits of a nice relaxing space are numerous. But if we haven't got but you the way of a spacious home, then we need to find a way to make our home comfier. There's nothing more misery-inducing than looking outside and seeing the rain. So why don't we make our home a bit comfier? The great thing about looking out at the gloomy rain is that, at the very least, we are cosied up indoors! Take The Magic Supplement There is a direct correlation between weather and mood. If we are away from the sunshine, we don't get the adequate amount of Vitamin D. If we take a Vitamin D supplement, it's likely we will feel the benefits in many other areas of our lives. Vitamin D has been shown to help fight colds, increase our mood, but also helps us to absorb minerals like calcium. Many people are deficient in Vitamin D, but do not realise it. If we can all start to take a Vitamin D supplement, perhaps we won't be so bothered that the British weather is so miserable? Rather than putting up with the terrible weather, perhaps we need to take it upon ourselves to make the most of it. Yes, nobody likes the grey clouds, but if we find the typical British weather gets us down, we are the only ones that have a responsibility to ourselves to do something about it.
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 When you buy a house, the level of pride surging through your body is hard to put into words. You’re a homeowner and a fully-fledged adult! Of course, what nobody cares to tell you is that maintaining the house is one of the most stressful activities known to man. Not only is it back-breaking, but it’s constant because you can’t let clutter and dust dirty your living space. If only there were features that could make life simpler cleaning-wise. Wouldn’t that be a treat?! Well, there are so you can finally kick back and relax without having to worry about plugging in the vacuum. Continue reading to find out more. Bare Flooring The floors feel the brunt of the pain because they collect dust, stains and deal with blemishes. With that in mind, it makes no sense to lay carpet on the floor or any other kind of thick material as it will be impossible to remove. Instead, opt for hard, bare flooring that only takes a couple of minutes to wipe down, from tiles and laminates to actual hardwood. In the garden, decking is the perfect option for all you gardeners. But, you’ll need more than a wet cloth and cleaning solution – jet wash it to blow away the cobwebs. Furniture Covers Your fittings and fixtures collect dirt and need cleaning. But, what if the grime didn’t touch the surface? Then, you wouldn’t need to worry about stains and marks. With furniture covers, everything lands and collects on a plastic sheet that you can remove with ease. Or, eco-conscious homeowners can run over it with a cloth or vacuum up the dust with a hoover. They don’t look too welcoming yet they are very effective, especially the covers that prevent bugs and insects from infesting. Plants & Greenery If you’ve ever watched a TV series, you’ll know about the robot vacuum cleaners that roam around picking up rubbish. In many ways, plants and flowers are natural substitutes. Why? It’s because they absorb sunlight and remove pollutants from the air when they photosynthesise. Better air quality includes fewer dirt and dust molecules and makes your home a nicer, fresher place to live. Also, they act as homes to creepy crawlies that eat crumbs, insects and other leftovers around the house. They’re better than robots because they add colour and vibrancy, two things you need throughout the year. Alexa Alexa, also known as an Amazon Echo Dot, is a machine with a purpose. Sure, there’s a debate about whether the Chinese or the Americans or the government is listening, but let’s face it – what will they hear?! What Alexa does very well is to schedule your life. So, when you need to clean the house and forget, she’ll provide a friendly reminder. Alexa can even kick you up the backside if you get lazy. The Echo Dot is one option but there are plenty more including Google Home. Doesn’t your home feel ten times cleaner just after reading this post?!  *collaborative post*
 Your home is meant to be your haven, your retreat from the world, the place to hang up your proverbial hat and put up your literal feet. However, some homes are not as welcoming and comforting as we might wish they were. If you’re feeling like your home is a little at odds with the zen state you’re hoping to achieve, here are a few ways to change that. Clear away the clutter It can be hard to relax when you’re bumping into a miscellaneous object every time you take a step or move your hand. Clutter grows quickly, and has to be dealt with quickly, as well. First of all, take a look at all of the knick-knacks, ornaments, and non-essentials. Start by throwing away or selling those that no longer inspire you or elicit joy when you look at them. Then, look at improving how you use your storage. Adding a single chest of drawers can ensure that you have space for items, so they’re not left lying around. Open up to the light Natural light is essential for your emotional wellbeing. First of all, it governs our sleep cycles so if stress is keeping you up at night, getting that vitamin D in your system is important. A lot of people are vulnerable to stress and depression when they don’t get enough sunlight, so letting in more natural light, as shown at Solatube, could be just what your home needs. Thinner window treatments, use of brighter colours, and some good mirror placement can help sunlight get through the room much more effectively. Add a swathe of softness Consider adding something to the room that makes you feel a little more relaxed just from touching it. If your room is a little too minimalist, then it can also feel a little bare, a little cold, and somewhat minimalist. Soft furnishings, such as the rugs from Land of Rugs, can add some much-needed contrast. They can make the room feel a little warmer, more inviting, and offer that tactile pleasure that can make it all the easier to relax. Incorporate all of the senses It’s not just about how the room feels and looks, either. When it comes to eliciting emotion and changing your mood, smell is the most powerful and evocative sense that there is. This is, in part, due to the fact that it’s most closely connected to the memory centre of the brain. As such, the aromatherapy tips shown at Canyon Ranch can help you get some ideas on how to incorporate different scents into your home. The right mix of smells can make it a lot easier to fall deeper into a relaxing, natural atmosphere that’s especially good at aiding things like meditation. Better using the space available to you, ensuring that you have real tactile comfort, getting your fill of healthy sunlight, and using more than just the visual can really make your home a lot more relaxing. Hopefully, the tips above help you find the peaceful sanctum you’ve been looking for. *collaborative post*
 Making your home into a wonderful place to be is not a difficult task if you know what it is that you should be doing. If you don’t, then it is a good thing that you have come across this article, because down below we are going to be looking at a few of the things that you can be doing to create the perfect space. If you want to know more about this topic, then we suggest you keep reading to get all the information that you need! So, without further ado, let’s look at some of the touches that you can add to your home to make it as wonderful as it could possibly be. Change Up Your Bathroom What kind of state is your bathroom in right now? We bet that the answer is fine but not great. We are not talking about how clean it is, but rather we are focusing on the design and what kind of theme you have going on in here. A lot of people have bathrooms that are pretty bland, but you should consider going for something a little more adventurous. How can you do this? Well, you don’t need to go all out and change the cabinets and fixtures, but you should consider adding a theme. For example, under the sea is a great way to make your bathroom a little more fun! And the best part about this is that it is pretty simple to do. All it takes is some paint, maybe a new shower curtain, and hey presto you have yourself an under the sea themed bathroom. Put some blue paint on the walls, make sure you get a curtain that has fish on it and when you are in the tub you can swim with the fishes! This is just a simple design idea, there are a whole load of others online that you can look at. As long as it is something that you like and makes you smile whenever you walk in there. Tech Is Always A Good Choice Tech is always going to be a good choice when it comes to adding things to your home. Do you have an Amazon Alexa? If not, then you are one of the few households left in the world without one, because they are soaring in popularity even now. You will find that this is a particularly handy piece of tech to have around the home as you can ask it all sorts of questions. For example, if you need to know what the weather will be like, or you need to know the answer to something but don’t have your phone handy, you can ask Alexa. Something else that you might want to consider is investing in a smart fridge. How many times have you been out to the shops and forgot something because you couldn’t remember if you needed it? Well, that is no longer going to be a problem as you can download an app to your phone which allows you to see inside your fridge even when it is closed. This makes doing the shopping a whole lot easier, and means that you don’t have to make two or three trips in a week! Think About The Personal Items You want your home to feel safe and somewhere that you can be completely you. The best way that you can achieve this is to think about the personal items that you have around the home. We are not suggesting that you have pictures of you and your family covering every inch of the property, but having a few dotted around is always going to be nice. As well as this, you can make sure that your home is full of the things that you like, whether this is art, tapestry or whatever. You need to feel comfortable walking around and knowing that it is your space. If you are quite specific about the design of your home and you think adding these touches could be difficult, then we suggest you make a pile of everything you want to put up but don’t know where to put. The reason behind this is that you can then go through them individually while also seeing everything else that you have. You never know when inspiration is going to hit, and you could have your best design idea ever. How About A Patio? Have you considered adding a patio to your garden? A lot of people these days don’t have one, but this is a big mistake because there is a real gap for them in the market right now. Not that we are suggesting you look at selling your home right now, but it is a practical consideration for the future. Adding a patio to your home is a great idea not just for the reason we mentioned above, but also because it provides you with an amazing place to sit and enjoy the summer season. You might be thinking that you can just use the rest of your garden, but how irritating is it when you are falling around on your chair because your grass is uneven? Well, patios could be the answer to your problem. By having one of these in your back garden, you are giving yourself something that isn’t common these days and provides you with a wonderful area for your kids to play or to host a summer BBQ. There are so many uses for a patio that you would be silly to not at least consider the possibility. For the number of benefits that you would see, it seems it would be well worth the initial investment. I hope that you have found this article helpful and will use the advice above to help make your home wonderful. Any of the touches that we have mentioned in this article will go a long way to helping you make your house feel more like a home! Good luck, and I hope that you have your home looking amazing in no time.  *collaborative post*
 Being a homeowner might make you feel accomplished, but it also comes with loads of responsibilities. You will have to look after your home, so it can look after you. It is no longer the landlord or the housing association who needs to sort things out; it is you. According to Murphy’s Law, if something can go wrong, it will do so at the worst possible time. Below you will find a few things you should be prepared for as a homeowner. Electricity If you are a homeowner, you have to get a qualified professional to carry out regular checks in your home, so you will not end up overloading your circuits or blowing fuses. Before you move into your house, get the wiring checked by a professional, and tell them what type of appliances you would like to use. They can adjust the power levels and the circuits, so you will not have to deal with emergency situations. Plumbing The next thing that can go wrong and could potentially cost you smaller mortgage is your plumbing. You should get your heating and air conditioning system checked regularly, and make sure that you are getting the right plumbing repairs carried out in time. This will save you a lot of money long term, and help you stay safe and warm in your own home. Safety Issues If you are looking to leave your home empty for a while, when you are going on a vacation or visiting family members, you will need to upgrade your security inside and outside of the house. You don’t want your insurance claim denied because you didn’t let the company know about your plans. Get a security camera installed, and consider investing in smart home devices that will alert you when there is a major emergency. Water or Storm Damage If there is one force people haven’t mastered to control, it is weather and nature. You cannot predict what is going to happen at your location, and a storm or flash flood can cause a lot of damage. You might already know that running a home is expensive, but you simply don’t want to add to the costs by having to repair the damage caused by the force of nature and paying out of pocket. Always have adequate insurance, just in case. Unexpected Expenses There are, of course, other unexpected expenses as well that are a part of your family budget, but you might not have considered before you moved in. You could be required to pay extra tax for your property, or pay out for a public liability case. If you cannot prove that you have made every effort to keep the neighborhood safe, you can owe a lot of compensation, and this will knock your family budget out of balance. As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to make sure that your home is safe, running smoothly, and serves your interest and your family’s needs. Get regular checkups and safety checks to avoid unexpected budget troubles.  *collaborative post*
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